Selective C-alkylation Between Alcohols Catalyzed by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Molybdenum |
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| Authors: | Jiahao Liu Weikang Li Dr. Yinwu Li Prof. Dr. Yan Liu Prof. Dr. Zhuofeng Ke |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, PCFM Lab, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 P. R. China;2. School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006 P. R. China |
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| Abstract: | The first implementation of a molybdenum complex with an easily accessible bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand to catalyze β-alkylation of secondary alcohols via borrowing-hydrogen (BH) strategy using alcohols as alkylating agents is reported. Remarkably high activity, excellent selectivity, and broad substrate scope compatibility with advantages of catalyst usage low to 0.5 mol%, a catalytic amount of NaOH as the base, and H2O as the by-product are demonstrated in this green and step-economical protocol. Mechanistic studies indicate a plausible outer-sphere mechanism in which the alcohol dehydrogenation is the rate-determining step. |
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| Keywords: | Alcohols Alkylation Molybdenum catalysis N-heterocyclic carbene Borrowing hydrogen |
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